well i finally got permission to trap a cattail swamp with alot of muskrat huts/dens. although i have experience trapping rats i have never done so
in a marsh as this one! what differences and methods from creek and ditch trapping am i going to need to learn along with what kind of traps should
i be using? ie. do i need to get some stoploss traps or will #11's and 1 1/2 coils with a few body grippers work?

CC, I know it's a ways from where you live, but you should attend the Magee workshop, Doug can show you a whole bunch about marshes in a hurry!

Opinions on traps vary, a couple of marsh trappers I know that would catch up to a few thousand a year (different states, different trappers) both use
almost nothing but 1 1/2 long springs, and one of them uses nothing but stoploss. Other guys use a lot of conibears in runs, but not all marshes are
suitable for that, if the depth and bottom are right, that would be the easy way.

I don't think I'd worry about the #11's, holding power isn't going to be a big issue, you can get the weight for drowning with the
1 1/2, and also a bigger target area. Iv'e never been a fan of 1 1/2 coils on muskrats, especially if you know you're targeting them, they
hit mighty hard for the small bones of a rat. What little experience I have in marshes, most runs can be handled with 110's if it's a
shallow marsh with hard bottom, you might want to come up with some 160's though, just in case.

1 1/2's up on the feed beds and 110's or 160's in the runs. Colony traps in the runs would work also. If it's a bigger marsh go to
Gander Mountain and get one of thoes Otter sleds to pull around behind you. Keep it simple.
If you want some stop-loss traps,,,,, I'v got a dozen #1 B&L and a dozen 1 1/2 B&L stop-loss that have never seen water dye or wax.
Good rat traps. Whats a fair offer? "Skippy"

I also have a few dozen #1 stop loss. they have a little experience but all are in really good shape.
I'm sure colony traps will do a great job and leg holds at the feed beds staked to deeper water.
I think 717's comment about the sled is a great idea

skippy, i'll give ya a $1 each for them and let you ship them to me , i think thats fair or atleast thats what nick would offer . i might do
better. i use alot of stoploss'es if its real shallow around them on feed beds, deep water , #1 1/2 coils mostly but #1 or #1 1/2 longs will be
ok . my main set is to boot a shelf into the hut just below waterline . make it just big enough to bed a trap on just underwater. add lure . i'll
usually make 2 per hut . if you can find the runs , conibears or colony traps . now when it freezes up good enough to walk to the huts , look for air
bubble trails under the ice , or floating roots or other matter there feeding on under the ice . this will help you find there runs which you can set
with conibears and colony traps under the ice . fastest way to trap huts after freeze up , chop out a plug of the hut to access the den chamber ( keep
plug ) set a #1 long or stoploss right next to the dive hole( usually you can see where they mostly crawl out ) give them about 18" of either
chain or wire to go down the dive hole after being caught . trap is anchored out side of hut and plug is put back inplace and hole sealed up. most of
the rats will go down dive hole and drown , ocassionaly they will be waiting on you alive and hopping mad inside the hut . otter sleds a great
trapping tool , they float, can be pulled across frozen ground or snow easliy , and effortlessly glide over ice . some of the heavier duty kids snow
sleds will work ok too. otter sleds are built to take a beating , hauled behind snowmachines . mark

Mark D. Stackhouse , Region C Director. Life Member OSTA , NTA , NRA , Member of the U.P. Trappers Assn., Alaska Trappers Assoc., Fur Takers Of
America. \" Far better it is to dare mighty things , to win glorious triumphs , even though checkered by failure , than to take rank with those
poor spirts who neither enjoy much nor suffer much , because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat \" - Theodore
Roosevelt

cc, i myself do a little marsh trapping and have a couple hints that may help. first, how much time do you have to spend? i usually spend about 3
hours a day out setting and checking. so what i do is concentrate on a few huts at a time, moving about every 2 days. i have set up a whole swamp
before at 1 time but it can get tiring real quick slogging through knee deep muck! i usually carry 2 buckets. 1 for a doz. bodygrippers and a couple
footholds, if the water is deep enough for a drowning set. the 2nd bucket i carry my stakes( good strong beaver cut sticks) wire, pliers and some of
nick's stabilizers. put a bottle of lure in your pocket. i also use a flagging tape. it can get real confusing and sometimes you question just
where you set that trap yesterday! i put a little piece right at the waterlevel to keep it low. however i will tie a piece up at the top of a cattail
to mark a hut that's deep in the thicket. as to sets i set the entrances and runs 99% of the time. if you have a hut that seems to have no
entrance look around for the deepest water and check there. i have found entrances as far away as 15 yds. also reach under standing cattail roots. i
have found entrances under these that you couldn't even tell it was there. where the water is deep enough i set a foothold on the climb up trail
of the hut. this can be lured or not. i also do the same as some of the others here also by flatting out a place on the side of the hut. i pour a
little lure on a cattail head and push it into the side of the hut just above the trap. i use this same procedure on feedbeds also. well these are
just a few i had at the top of my head. if you would like anymore input just give me a shout!